Doll dress up set

ABSTRACT

A doll figure provided with a regular smooth outer surface, and changeable dress-up means comprising a formable sheet having an outer surface on which a representation of clothing for the doll may be provided. The sheet is wrapped around the doll immediately adjacent and conforming to the doll&#39;&#39;s outer surface. The sheets are readily removable and replaceable with other sheets.

United States Patent [191 Goldfarb et a1.

[ 1 Jan. 1,1974

DOLL DRESS UP SET Inventors: Adolph E. Goldlarb, Tarzana;

Howard L. Dekan, Chatsworth, both of Calif.

Assignce: Adolph E. Goldl'arb, Tarzana, Calif.

Filed: Feb. 28, 1972 Appl. No.: 229,832

U.S. Cl. 46/22, 46/157 Int. Cl A63h 9/00 Field of Search 46/22, 151, 156,

References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1921 Koch 46/151 2,424,538 7/1947 Bedcr 46/151 3.646.705 3/1972 Nicholson.. 46/157 1461.78] 2/1949 Sorrel l32/76.5

Primary ExaminerLouis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-J. Q. Lever Attorney-Robert M. Ashen et al.

[571 ABSTRACT A doll figure provided with a regular smooth outer surface, and changeable dress-up means comprising a formable sheet having an outer surface on which a representation of clothing for the doll may be provided. The sheet is wrapped around the doll immediately adjacent and conforming to the dolls outer surface. The sheets are readily removable and replaceable with other sheets.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures DOLL DRESS UP SET The broad idea of providing a doll figure of some kind with dress up means which may be changed by the child as she plays with the doll, there is, of course, not new; For the most part, however, in the prior art, dressup dolls followed two basic patterns. Some dolls were essentially flat, that is, two dimensional with a minimum thickness, with a picture or representation of the figure on one surface, and they received two dimensional sheet clothing; other dolls were three dimensional dolls or figureswith dress'up clothing or apparel also being threedimensional. While such prior devices provide substantially play value to children, the solely two dimensional sets areless realistic to the child because the figure does not have a third dimension in the manner of the figure orcharacter which it is representing, while the three dimensional figure with three dimensionalclothing is themostrealistic type of dress up set, but is also relatively expensive.

' In a preferred form, the doll of this invention comprises a doll figure having a block-form base or body portion that has a regular, smooth outer surface. For example, the base portion may be cylindrical and disposed upright. A neck and head portion maybe provided at the upper end of the base portion. The dressup means may be a rectangular flat formable sheet adapted to wrap around and enclose the base portion, withthe sheet disposed immediately adjacent and conforming to the cylindrical outer surface. Margin or edge portions of the sheet which come together at the rear of the base portion are releasibly retained by fastener means. Inone form of fastener means a longitudinal groove extending from top to bottom at the rear of the base portion receives the edges of the sheet and they may be releasibly held 'in place by an elongated retaining strip which is pressed fit into the groove. The sheet is provided on its outer surface with representations of the arms, legs, and feet of the figure as well as the clothes or attire of the figure. By changing the sheet, the attire and character of the figure toy may be changed as desired by the child.

Thus, a three dimensional doll figure of a preferably simplified block-form, which provides a realistic aspect of the toy, combines with two-dimensional sheets that wrap around and conform to the doll outer surface to provide the changeable dress up material for the doll. In this manner, economy of manufacture, fabrication and merchandising, is combined with substantial and realistic play value for the child.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a toy block figure representing a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the toy figure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a sheet having indicia of clothing thereon, and comprising a preferred form of changeable clothing means or dress up means of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional'view taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front view of an alternate form of dress up doll.

FIG. 6 shows dress-up sheets for use with the doll figure of FIG. 5.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a dress up doll set representing a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated set comprises a block-form doll figure l0 and changeable dress-up means 12 which may be removeably secured on the doll figure.

The illustrated doll figure 10 comprises a cylindrical body or base portion 14 at the top of which a generally spherical or bulbous head 16 is mounted as by means of an intermediate neck section 18. The body portion thus provides a smooth, regular cylindrical outer surface 19. The figure doll may be made of any desired material such as wood, plastic, metal, plaster composition or the like. The means on the doll body portion 14 for releasibly securing the dress-up means in place, is a vertical groove 20 formed the length of the body section at the rear side thereof. The illustrated groove 20 is generally rectangular in section (FIG. 4). A fastener or retainer strip 22 which is T-shaped in cross-section cooperates with the groove 20 by having an elongated tongue portion 24 adapted to be received into the groove. The tongue portion 24 may be somewhat smaller across than width of the groove, and its operation will be described below. The retainer strip 22 may aslo include a handle or grasping portion 26 which is secured to the tongue portion 24 and provides means to be gripped by the child to insert and remove the strip. The strip 22 may be formed of any suitable material comparable to that used for the figure by itself or it may be of a different material.

The head 16 may be decorated as shown in the drawings torepresent a head of a person or animal. The lower end of the body portion is flat and provides a selfstanding base for the doll, although separate feet or pedestal means be provided if desired.

The illustrated dress-up means, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises a formable flat sheet 30 in a generally rectangular shape. The illustrated sheet 30 is proportioned to wrap around the body portion of the doll figure in immediately overlying relation to the cylindrical outer surface 19 and be releasibly held in place thereon. Thus, the sheet 30 is provided along each of its side edges or margins with an attachment section 32. The sections 32 may be folded over and received in the longitudinal groove 20 when the main portion of the sheet 30 is wrapped formed around the body portion. This is shown best in FIG. 4. The retainer strip 22 may then be pressed into the groove 20 to releasibly retain the edge sections 32 of the dress-up sheet 30. This press fit of the retainer strip will releasibly hold the dress-up sheet in place; the strip may be readily removed by the child by simply pulling it out of the groove. Other means may also be used to releasibly secure the dress-up means to the doll figure. For example, strips of mating Velcro may be placed on the edges of the dress-up sheet and on a strip along the back of the doll figure. Similarly, other types of pressure adhesive strips or areas may be utilized. Mechanical fastening means may also be utilized such as snaps, hooks or the like. Further, it should be appreciated that the securing means may be provided on the opposite edges of the dress-up means rather than on the doll body, with the securing means attaching to each other and the dress-up means being retained on the body by the resulting frictional engagement or by a mechanical arrangement.

While the illustrated doll body portion has a cylindrical configuration, it will be appreciated that other shapes and figurations may be utilized. For example, the body portion may be oval or elliptical in crosssection or have three, four or more straight sides. As shown in FIG. 1, the illustrated dress-up means ineludes representations of legs for the doll; alternately, legs and feet orjust feet might be provided at the lower end of the body portion. Similarly, arms and hands, or just hands might be provided adjacent the upper part of the body portion. The provisions of legs or feet would not interfere with use of a plain wrap-around sheet as in the illustrated device. The use of arms or hands extending outwardly from the body portion would, however, require that the dress-up sheet have appropriate openings or the like for the arms or hands to project through. Also, the body portion might be divided into various sections or parts with separate dressup means being applied to the various parts. For example, there might be an upper torso section, waist section, and a lower torso section. The lower torso section might be frusto-conical to represent a shape of a skirt, and the dress-up means might be a patterned or decorative colored sheet which can be removable mounted around and flush upon the outside surface of the frustoconical section. The upper torso portion might be straight cylindrical or a reverse frusto-conical, or slightly inclined section adapted to receive an appropriate dress-up sheet around it. The doll itself may be decorated in whole or part as desired, to coordinate with or supplement the dress-up material, or merely to make the dolls attractive when no dressup material is in place.

The illustrated dress-up sheets may be made of any suitable material such as paper or plastic.

The dress-up sheet material may be pre-formed in its desired shape or outline for usage; or it may be part of a larger sheet and adapted to be cut out by scissors; or it may be partially perforated for ready separation from the remainder of the sheet. The sheet may be colored or may provide only outlines to be painted in or colored in by crayon by the child. The sheet may also be plain so that the child can create her own designs of clothing and appearance. The use of initially flat sheet material permits easy and compact packaging, storage, and shipment. Forming the sheet into a three dimensional shape on the figure gives it a charming appearance. The sheets can be pre-printed or child-created with beautiful and vivid colors and designs for clothing and character, which aid in providing a three dimensional look. The sheets can be rapidly changed to vary the clothing and appearance of the doll.

H65. 5 and 6 show an alternate form ofa figure doll dress-up set. The doll 10a has an upper body portion 14a with cylindrical outer surface 19a, and a lower body portion a with frusto-conical outer surface 21a. The doll 10a also has depending leg portions 40 and arm portions 42 which extend outwardly from the upper body portion.

An upper dress-up sheet 30a is releasibly supported wrapped around upper body portion 14a much in the manner of sheet 30. However, sheet 30a is provided with openings 44 through which arm portions 42 can extend. Further, the fastening means to support sheet 30a on body portion 14a is in the form ofa mechanical interlocking arrangement comprised of a pair of eyelets or loops 46, 47 along one side edge of the sheet 30a, and a pair of corresponding hooks 48, 49 along the opposite side edge of the sheet. The hooks 48, 49 engage the eyelets 46, 47 respectively to hold the edges of the sheet 30a together and the sheet and figure may be proportioned so that friction will retain the sheet in this self-engaging, wrap around position on the figure.

A lower dress-up sheet 31a is disposed on lower frusto-conical conical surface 21a. The sheet 31a may be fabric and one or more areas 50 of VELCRO may be provided on the surface 21a to which the fabric of sheet 31a can releasibly adhere. A pressure sensitive, releasibly adhering adhesive could also be used in a similar manner.

We claim:

1. A doll dress up set comprising:

a three-dimensional doll body portion having a regular smooth surface,

a flat formable sheet having an outer surface with a representation of clothing for the doll thereon, said sheet having bent-over edge portions at opposite ends thereof,

said doll body having an elongated longitudinal groove extending along the back portion thereof,

said formable sheet being wrapped around said doll body with the bent-over edge portions placed in said groove, and

an elongated retainer strip releasably press fitted into said groove for retaining the bent-over edge portions of the sheet with the sheet held against said body portion.

2. The dress up set of claim 1 wherein said doll figure includes outwardly extending limbs, said sheet having openings through which said limbs extend.

3. The dress up set of claim 1 wherein said doll body portion outer surface is cylindrical and said sheet is rectangular.

4. A doll figure dress-up set comprising, in combination:

a doll figure providing a three-dimensional generally smooth regular outer surface, and

changeable dress-up means comprising a single flat sheet having an outer surface on which a representation of clothing for the doll figure may be presented, said sheet being wrapped around said figure immediately adjacent and conforming to said surface with opposite edges of the sheet coming proximate to each other at the rear of said figure, and

means for releasably securing said sheet to said figure, said last mentioned means comprising a longitudinal groove formed in the back portion of the figure and a retainer strip releasably press-fitted into said groove for retaining the opposite edges of the sheet. 

1. A doll dress up set comprising: a three-dimensional doll body portion having a regular smooth surface, a flat formable sheet having an outer surface with a representation of clothing for the doll thereon, said sheet having bent-over edge portions at oppoSite ends thereof, said doll body having an elongated longitudinal groove extending along the back portion thereof, said formable sheet being wrapped around said doll body with the bent-over edge portions placed in said groove, and an elongated retainer strip releasably press fitted into said groove for retaining the bent-over edge portions of the sheet with the sheet held against said body portion.
 2. The dress up set of claim 1 wherein said doll figure includes outwardly extending limbs, said sheet having openings through which said limbs extend.
 3. The dress up set of claim 1 wherein said doll body portion outer surface is cylindrical and said sheet is rectangular.
 4. A doll figure dress-up set comprising, in combination: a doll figure providing a three-dimensional generally smooth regular outer surface, and changeable dress-up means comprising a single flat sheet having an outer surface on which a representation of clothing for the doll figure may be presented, said sheet being wrapped around said figure immediately adjacent and conforming to said surface with opposite edges of the sheet coming proximate to each other at the rear of said figure, and means for releasably securing said sheet to said figure, said last mentioned means comprising a longitudinal groove formed in the back portion of the figure and a retainer strip releasably press-fitted into said groove for retaining the opposite edges of the sheet. 